Les Paul Range Explained: Deciding Which Model to Buy

The Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul guitar ranges are massive, making it difficult to decide which model is the best for you. In this article, I’ll compare the differences between all the Les Paul models available by both brands so you can decide which guitar to buy.

Les Paul Models

There are over 25 models of Les Paul available. Gibson make several Les Paul guitars including the most affordable Special Tribute, the most iconic Standard ’50s/ ’60s, the feature-packed Classic model, and the Modern series. Epiphone make more affordable versions of the Gibson Les Paul models.

Gibson vs Epiphone Les Paul

Gibson Les Paul guitars are made in America whereas Epiphone Les Paul models are made in China. Gibson models are more expensive and are made with more premium materials with more attention to detail compared to the most affordable Epiphone alternatives which are mass produced.

This article is split into Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul models from this point onwards.

Gibson Les Paul Range

The Gibson Les Paul range consists of 12 main models (from lowest to highest price):

• Special Tribute
• Tribute
• Studio
• Junior
• Special
• Classic
• Standard ’50s
• Standard ’60s
• ’70s Deluxe
• Modern
• Slash
• Custom Shop

Gibson divide their range into the “original” series and the “modern” series, depending on the features. However, in my opinion I don’t find it all that helpful when distinguishing between models, so I’ve created this table to summarise the key features and differences.

Remember to scroll sideways/ turn the screen horizontally if you’re on mobile to view the full table.

Model	Pickups	Weight Relief	Neck Profile	Coil Tap	Maple Top	Left Hand Available	Finish
Special Tribute	2 humbuckers or P90s	No	Rounded	No	No	No	Satin
Tribute	2 humbuckers	Yes	Rounded	No	No	No	Satin
Studio	2 humbuckers	Yes	Slim Taper	Yes	Yes	Yes	Gloss
Junior	1 P90	No	Vintage ‘50s	No	No	Yes	Gloss
Special	2 P90s	No	Vintage ‘50s	No	No	Yes	Gloss
Classic	2 humbuckers	Yes	Slim Taper	No	Yes	Yes	Gloss
Standard ‘50s	2 humbuckers/ P90s	No	Vintage ‘50s	No	Yes	Yes	Gloss
Standard ’60s	2 humbuckers	No	Slim Taper	No	Yes	Yes	Gloss
‘70s Deluxe	2 mini humbuckers	No	Rounded C	No	Yes	No	Gloss
Modern	2 humbuckers	Yes	Asymmetrical slim taper	Yes	Yes	Yes	Gloss
Slash	2 humbuckers	No	Vintage ‘50s	No	Yes	No	Gloss

Now let’s take a look at some other key features of each Gibson Les Paul and the prices. There’s also a video in each section so you can hear a sound demo. Note that the Custom Shop models are not included in this next section simply because there’s way too much variation between all the guitars. The colour options and prices are correct as of the time of writing but are subject to change.

Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute

Starts at around $1000 (or £850 in the UK) and is available in P90 or humbucker pickup configurations.

Who is it for?

Players looking for an affordable American-made Les Paul who are less bothered about the traditional design and fancy additional features.

Gibson Les Paul Tribute

Starts at around $1000 (or £1000 in the UK) and is only available with humbucker pickups.

Who is it for?

Players looking for a more classic looking Les Paul on a budget and without any of the frills. The satin finish also helps to provide a “faster” playing experience.

Check out my article comparing the Tribute, Special Tribute and Special models for more information.

Gibson Les Paul Studio

Starts at around $1500 (or £1250 in the UK) and is only available with humbucker pickups.

Who is it for?

Players looking for an affordable Gibson Les Paul in alternative colour options with coil tapped humbuckers.

Check out my comparison of the Les Paul Studio and the Les Paul Tribute.

Gibson Les Paul Junior

Starts at around $1500 (or £1300 in the UK) and is only available with a single P90 pickup in the bridge position.

Who is it for?

Players looking for a simplistic Les Paul with an alternative design.

Check out this comparison between Gibson Les Paul Junior and Tribute models.

Check out my comparison between the Gibson Les Paul Junior and Studio.

Gibson Les Paul Special

Starts at around $1600 (or £1350 in the UK) and is only available with two P90 pickups.

Who is it for?

Players looking for a Les Paul with an alternative body design, thick neck and two P90 pickups.

Check out my comparison between the Gibson Les Paul Special and Junior models.

Take a look at my in-depth comparison between the Gibson Les Paul Special and Studio.

Gibson Les Paul Classic

Starts at around $2000 (or £1800 in the UK) and is only available with humbucker pickups.

Who is it for?

Players looking for a traditional looking Les Paul with additional functionality and premium hardware. This is a more modern take on a traditional guitar.

Check out my article comparing the Gibson Les Paul Standard and Classic models.

Check out my in-depth comparison between the Gibson Les Paul Classic and Studio.

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Starts at around $2500 (or £2200 in the UK) and is available with humbucker or P90 pickups. There are two versions, the ’50s Standard and ’60s Standard.

Who is it for?

Players looking for the iconic Les Paul design and tone.

There are two versions of the Standard model: the ’50s and ’60s. Check out my comparison between the ‘50s Les Paul Standard and ’60s Les Paul Standard to learn about the differences.

Check out my comparison of the Les Paul Standard and Studio models.

Have a look at my comparison between the Les Paul Standard and Special models.

Gibson Les Paul ’70s Deluxe

Starts at around $2500 (or £2250 in the UK) and is available with mini humbuckers.

Who is it for?

Players looking for a brighter sounding Les Paul with the classic design.

Gibson Les Paul Modern

Starts at around $2800 (or £2300 in the UK) and is available with humbucker pickups.

Who is it for?

Players looking for a flash and modern looking Les Paul with additional functionality and a focus on comfort and playability.

Gibson Les Paul Slash

Starts at around $3000 (or £2600 in the UK) and is available with humbucker pickups.

Who is it for?

Players looking for top-of-the-range Les Paul in unique finishes with a thicker neck.

Check out my in-depth comparison between Gibson and Epiphone Les Pauls

Frequently Asked Questions about Gibson Les Pauls

Before we move onto the Epiphone range, I wanted to address some questions you might still have about Gibson electric guitars.

What is the difference between a Les Paul Standard and a Les Paul Classic?

The Gibson Les Paul Classic has a weight-relieved body, which means it is lighter than the Les Paul Standard which does not have any weight relief. The Les Paul Standard ’50s has a thicker neck than the Les Paul Classic. The Les Paul Classic also has a coil tap function, unlike the Standard models.

Why are Gibson Les Pauls so expensive?

All Gibson Les Paul guitars are made in the USA with premium materials, which means they cost more than many other brands. The reputation of the brand, as well as the popularity of the Les Paul with famous guitarists, also contributes to the high depend and consequently, higher price of the guitar.

Which Les Paul has the thinnest neck?

The Gibson Les Paul guitars with the thinnest necks are the Studio, Classic and Modern. These Les Paul models all have “slim taper” necks which are thinner than most other models. The Les Paul Modern has an asymmetrical slim taper neck.

Which Les Paul has the thickest neck?

The Gibson Les Paul Standard ’50s model has the thickest neck compared to the other models in the range, including the Standard ’60s model. Other Les Paul models with thicker necks include the Junior, Special and Slash models.

Epiphone Les Paul Range

There are 15 main models in the Epiphone Les Paul range (from lowest to highest price):

• Melody Maker/ SL
• Special I
• Special E1
• Studio E1
• Junior
• Studio
• Classic
• Muse
• Classic
• Standard ’50s
• Standard ’60s
• Modern
• Custom
• Slash
• Prophecy

Here is a table comparing each model in the Epiphone line-up.

Remember to scroll sideways/ turn the screen horizontally if you’re on mobile to view the full table.

Model	Pickups	Construction	Inlays	Neck Profile	Coil Split	Body Wood	Maple Top
Melody Maker	Two single coils	Bolt-on	Dot	SlimTaper D	No	Poplar	No
Special I	Two humbuckers or P90s	Bolt-on	Dot	SlimTaper D	No	Mahogany	No
Special E1	Two humbuckers	Bolt-on	Dot	SlimTaper	No	Poplar	No
Studio E1	2 humbuckers	Bolt-on	Dot	SlimTaper D	No	Mahogany	No
Junior	P90	Set-Neck	Dot	Vintage ‘50s	No	Mahogany	No
Traditional	2 humbuckers	Set-Neck	Trapezoid	SlimTaper D	Yes	Mahogany	Yes
Classic	2 humbuckers	Set-Neck	Trapezoid	SlimTaper	Yes	Mahogany	Yes
Muse	2 humbuckers	Set-Neck	Trapezoid	Custom C	Yes	Okume	Yes
Studio	2 humbuckers	Set-Neck	Trapezoid	SlimTaper D	No	Mahogany	Yes
Standard ‘60s	2 humbuckers	Set-Neck	Trapezoid	SlimTaper C	No	Mahogany	Yes
Standard ‘50s	2 humbuckers	Set-Neck	Trapezoid	Rounded C	No	Mahogany	Yes
Modern	2 humbuckers	Set-Neck	Trapezoid	Asymmetric Slim	Yes	Mahogany	Yes
Custom	2 humbuckers	Set-Neck	Block	SlimTaper	No	Mahogany	Yes
Slash	2 humbuckers	Set-Neck	Trapezoid	C-shape	No	Mahogany	Yes
Prophecy	2 humbuckers	Set-Neck	Trapezoid	Asymmetric	Yes	Mahogany	Yes

If you want to learn more about pricing, check out my article on the cost of a Les Paul for a comparison between models.